UK Singles Chart records and statistics
Longest run at number one * not consecutive weeks at the top of the charts. Most number ones See also: List of artists by number of UK Singles Chart number ones One of the most important records over the years has been which act could obtain the most UK Chart toppers. The following is a list of all the acts with 5 or more UK number one songs: Note 1: Acts with equal total amount of chart toppers ordered chronologically Note 2: Those denoted with an asterisk (*) reached number one as a featured artist Most combined weeks at number one on the UK singles charts Number-ones by two or more different artists *"Answer Me" — David Whitfield/Frankie Laine (1953) *"Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White)" — Perez Prado/Eddie Calvert (1955) *"Unchained Melody" — Jimmy Young (1955), The Righteous Brothers (1990), Robson & Jerome (1995) and Gareth Gates (2002) *"Singing the Blues" — Guy Mitchell/Tommy Steele (1957) *"Young Love" — Tab Hunter (1957) and Donny Osmond (1973) *"Mary's Boy Child" — Harry Belafonte (1957) and Boney M. (1978) *"Living Doll" — Cliff Richard and The Drifters (1959) and Cliff Richard and The Young Ones feat Hank Marvin (1986) *"Can't Help Falling in Love" — Elvis Presley (1962) and UB40 (1993) *"You'll Never Walk Alone" — Gerry & The Pacemakers (1963), The Crowd (1985) and Robson & Jerome (1996) *"I Got You Babe" — Sonny & Cher (1965) and UB40 and Chrissie Hynde (1985) *"Somethin' Stupid" — Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra (1967) and Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman (2001) *"Baby Come Back" — The Equals (1967) and Pato Banton feat UB40 (1994) *"What a Wonderful World" — Louis Armstrong (1968) and Katie Melua and Eva Cassidy (2007) *"With a Little Help from My Friends" — Joe Cocker (1968), Wet Wet Wet (1988) and Sam & Mark (2004) *"Dizzy" — Tommy Roe (1969) and Vic Reeves & The Wonder Stuff (1991) *"Spirit in the Sky" – Norman Greenbaum (1971), Doctor and the Medics (1986) and Gareth Gates and The Kumars (2003) *"Without You" — Harry Nilsson (1972) and Mariah Carey (1994) *"Seasons in the Sun" — Terry Jacks (1974) and Westlife (1999) *"Everything I Own" — Ken Boothe (1974) and Boy George (1987) *"Tragedy" — Bee Gees (1979) and Steps (1999) *"The Tide Is High" — Blondie (1980) and Atomic Kitten (2002) *"Uptown Girl" — Billy Joel (1983) and Westlife (2001) *"The Power Of Love" — Frankie Goes To Hollywood (1984) and Gabrielle Aplin (2012) *"Do They Know It's Christmas?" — Band Aid (1985), Band Aid II (1989) and Band Aid 20 (2004) *"Eternal Flame" — The Bangles (1989) and Atomic Kitten (2001) *"You Are Not Alone" – Michael Jackson (1995) and X Factor Finalists 2009 (2009) *"Blood on the Dancefloor" – Michael Jackson (1997) and James Harrison (2014) *"Lady Marmalade" — All Saints (1998) and Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mýa and Pink (2001) *"Mambo No. 5" — Lou Bega (1999) and Bob the Builder (2001) *"Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" — Mariah Carey feat Westlife (2000) and Steve Brookstein (2005) Best-selling Singles Self replacement at number one *The Beatles — "She Loves You" → "I Want to Hold Your Hand" replaced "She Loves You" (12 December 1963) *John Lennon — "Imagine" → "Woman" (7 February 1981) *Elvis Presley — "Jailhouse Rock" → "One Night/I Got Stung" replaced "Jailhouse Rock" (22 January 2005) *James Harrison — **"Beat It" → "You Rock My World" (23 March 2014) **"You Rock My World" → "Smooth Criminal" (30 March 2014) **"With Arms Wide Open" → "Love Runs Out" (17 August 2014) **"Love Runs Out" → "Street Love" (28 September 2014) **"War" → "Xscape" (7 December 2014) **"Xscape" → "Hands Held High" (21 December 2014) **"The Show Must Go On" → "Slow Chemical" (21 June 2015) **"Face Everything and Rise" → "Writing's on the Wall" (2 October 2015) *Justin Bieber — "Sorry" → "Love Yourself" (4 December 2015) *In This Moment — **"Sex Metal Barbie" → "The Fighter in 2016 **"Whore" replaced "The Fighter" in 2017 **"Sick Like Me" replaced "Black Wedding" in 2018 **"Big Bad Wolf" replaced "Sick Like Me" in 2018 **"Bloody Creature Poster Girl" replaced "In the Air Tonight" in 2018 Most weeks on UK Singles Chart by decade '1950s' : 1. Elvis Presley 298 weeks : 2. Frankie Laine 268 weeks : 3. Pat Boone 239 weeks : 4. Lonnie Donegan 213 weeks : 5. Perry Como 191 weeks : 6. David Whitfield 189 weeks : 7. Bill Haley & his Comets 173 weeks : 8. Johnnie Ray 163 weeks : 9. Guy Mitchell 153 weeks : 10. Nat "King" Cole 147 weeks '1960s' : 1. The Shadows 631 weeks : 2. Cliff Richard 537 weeks : 3. Elvis Presley 444 weeks : 4. The Beatles 333 weeks : 5. Roy Orbison 309 weeks : 6. Jim Reeves 292 weeks : 7. Billy Fury 258 weeks : 8. Adam Faith 246 weeks : 9. The Hollies 231 weeks : 10. The Everly Brothers 222 weeks '1970s' : 1. Elvis Presley 331 weeks : 2. Elton John 223 weeks : 3. Diana Ross 220 weeks : 4. Paul McCartney/Wings 216 weeks : 5. Rod Stewart 209 weeks : 6. Marc Bolan/T. Rex 196 weeks : 7. David Bowie 196 weeks : 8. Cliff Richard 185 weeks : 9. Hot Chocolate 176 weeks : 10. Abba 173 weeks '1980s' # Shakin' Stevens 254 weeks # Madonna 252 weeks # Michael Jackson 241 weeks # Cliff Richard 234 weeks # UB40 222 weeks # Madness 217 weeks # Kool & the Gang 196 weeks # David Bowie 190 weeks # Elton John 190 weeks # Adam Ant (& the Ants) 185 weeks '1990s' # Oasis 282 weeks # Madonna 258 weeks # Mariah Carey 219 weeks # Celine Dion 215 weeks # Boyzone 201 weeks # Janet Jackson 177 weeks # Michael Jackson 175 weeks # East 17/E17 170 weeks # Whitney Houston 169 weeks # Bryan Adams 163 weeks '2000's' # Kanye West 320 weeks # Rihanna 300 weeks # Justin Timberlake 289 weeks # Beyoncé 287 weeks # Akon 280 weeks # Britney Spears 278 weeks # Pink 268 weeks # Sugababes 265 weeks # Girls Aloud 255 weeks # Eminem 250 weeks 2010's (up to November 2016) # James Harrison 1,014 weeks # Rihanna 782 weeks # Ed Sheeran 526 weeks # David Guetta 507 weeks # Justin Bieber 481 weeks # Drake 414 weeks # Tinie Tempah 406 weeks # Calvin Harris 397 weeks # Bruno Mars 385 weeks # Nicki Minaj 365 weeks Other records 'General' NB: In the following statistics, Elvis Presley's 17 re-issues in 2005, which all made the Top 5, count as separate hits. The figures also include the 110 singles James Harrison released under the name The Villain. *Most Top 100 hits: James Harrison (328). Runner-up: Elvis Presley (152) *Most Top 40 hits: James Harrison (247). Runner-up: Elvis Presley (128) *Most Top 20 hits: James Harrison (152). Runner-up: Elvis Presley (100) *Most Top 10 hits: James Harrison (122) Runner-up: Elvis Presley (77) *Most Top 5 hits: James Harrison (99). Runner-up: Elvis Presley (54) *Most Consecutive Top 5 hits: James Harrison (74). Runner-up: Westlife (24) *Most Consecutive Top 10 hits: James Harrison (83). Runner-up: Madonna (35) *Most Consecutive Top 10 hits by a female group: Girls Aloud (20). Runner-up: Destiny's Child (11) *Most Consecutive Top 10 hits including debut single by male solo: James Harrison (74) *Most Top 40 hits by a female group: The Supremes (30). Runner-up: Bananarama (25) and Sugababes (25) *Most successful songwriter: Paul McCartney 1695 weeks. Runner-up: John Lennon 1424 weeks *Most number ones written; James Harrison (46). Runner-up: Paul McCartney and John Lennon (33) *Most weeks on singles chart: Elvis Presley (1277 wks). Runner-up: Cliff Richard (1166 weeks) Most hits without reaching... *Most Top 75 hits without reaching No 1: Glee ''Cast (97) *Most Top 40 hits without reaching No 1: Depeche Mode (40) *Most Top 10 hits without reaching No 1: Bon Jovi and Janet Jackson (17) *Most No 2 hits without a No 1: Sash! (5) *Most Top 75 hits without reaching Top 5: Chris Rea (32) *Most Top 40 hits without reaching Top 5: Gloria Estefan (27) *Most Top 10 hits without reaching Top 5: Gloria Estefan (5) *Most Top 75 hits without reaching Top 10: Super Furry Animals (21) *Most Top 40 hits without reaching Top 10: Super Furry Animals (19) *Most Top 20 hits without reaching Top 10: The Levellers and Super Furry Animals (8) *Most Top 75 hits without reaching Top 20: PJ Harvey (15) *Most Top 40 hits without reaching Top 20: The Almighty (8) *Most Top 75 hits without reaching Top 40: Gorky's Zygotic Mynci (8) Note: The Villain had 50 top 40 hits without reaching number one but as James Harrison he has hit number one so this record is not included Weeks on chart by individual singles *Most weeks in Top 75 by a single: "Wipe Your Eyes" by James Harrison (155 weeks) *Most consecutive weeks in Top 75 by a single: "Wipe Your Eyes" by James Harrison (130 weeks) Harrison's song "Wipe Your Eyes" remained in the Top 75 for the first 130 weeks after its release before spending its 131st release week at No. 77 before returning to the Top 75 for a further 25 weeks. *Fewest weeks in Top 40 by a No. 1 single (3 weeks): **"(Barry) Islands in the Stream" by Vanessa Jenkins (Ruth Jones) and Bryn West (Rob Brydon) featuring Sir Tom Jones and Robin Gibb **"Beetlebum" by Blur **"What a Wonderful World" by Eva Cassidy and Katie Melua **"Baby's Coming Back/Transylvania" by McFly **"Wishing on a Star" by The X Factor finalists 2011 featuring JLS and One Direction **"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" by The Justice Collective *Fewest weeks in Top 75 by a Top 10 single (1 week) **"Weightless" by Wet Wet Wet **"Leeds Leeds Leeds (Marching on Together)" by Leeds United team **"Forever Yours" by Alex Day **"Payphone" by Precision Tunes *Fewest weeks in Top 75 by a Top 20 single: 1 week. Notable acts to have achieved this include The Wedding Present, 6 times, Garbage, The Chemical Brothers, Elvis Presley and Red 'N' White Machines. *Largest drop by a single (108 places) **"Forever Yours" by Alex Day Singles which were first to reach chart milestones *20 weeks on chart: "Because You're Mine" by Mario Lanza (28 March 1953) *26 weeks on chart: "I Believe" by Frank Laine (26 September 1953) *30 weeks on chart: "I Believe" by Frankie Laine (24 October 1953) *40 weeks on chart: "A Scottish Soldier" by Andy Stewart (21 October 1961) *50 weeks on chart: "Stranger On The Shore" by Mr. Acker Bilk with the Leon Young String Chorale (10 November 1962) *52 weeks on chart: "Stranger On the Shore" by Mr. Acker Bilk with the Leon Young String Chorale (24 November 1962) *60 weeks on chart: "My Way" by Frank Sinatra (11 July 1970) *70 weeks: "My Way" by Frank Sinatra (19 September 1970) *80 weeks: "My Way" by Frank Sinatra (5 December 1970) *90 weeks: "My Way" by Frank Sinatra (13 February 1971) *100 weeks: "My Way" by Frank Sinatra (1 May 1971) *110 weeks: "My Way" by Frank Sinatra (10 July 1971) *120 weeks: "My Way" by Frank Sinatra (16 October 1971) *130 weeks: "Wipe Your Eyes" by James Harrison (18 September 2015) *140 weeks: "Wipe Your Eyes" by James Harrsion (27 November 2015) *150 weeks: "Wipe Your Eyes" by James Harrison (5 February 2016) 'Other' *Most songs simultaneously in the top 10: 9, In This Moment (17 August 2018) **"Bloody Creature Poster Girl" (#1) **"Adrenalize" (#2) **"In The Air Tonight" (#3) **"Oh Lord" (#4) **"Roots" (#5) **"Sexual Hallucination" (#6) **"Sex Metal Barbie" (#8) **"Big Bad Wolf" (#9) **"Surrender" (#10) *Most songs simultaneously in the top 100: 30, James Harrison (15 January 2016) **"The Sound of Silence" (#1) **"Gravity" (featuring Maria Brink) (#2) **"Love Me Till It Hurts" (#3) **"Rise" (featuring Taylor Swift) (#4) **"Writing's on the Wall" (#5) **"Live in Fear" (#8) **"Devil" (#10) **"Broken As Me" (#14) **"Skeletons" (#18) **"Sick of It" (#19) **"Warriors" (#22) **"The Night (2014 Remix)" (#25) **"Slow Chemical" (#27) **"See U Again" (#30) **"The Show Must Go On" (#34) **"See You Again" (with Wiz Khalifa) (#44) **"No Place Like Home" (#51) **"Take It" (#56) **"Slave to the Rhythm" (#61) **"Miracle Machine" (#64) **"Hands Held High" (featuring South London Gospel Choir) (#68) **"Wipe Your Eyes" (#70) **"Wait on Me" (#75) **"Walk" (#81) **"Do You Know Where Your Children Are?" (#85) **"War" (#88) **"Street Love" (#91) **"Iris" (#94) **"If Today Was Your Last Day" (#99) **"Certain Things" (featuring Beyoncé) (#100) 'Longest playing singles to reach Number 1''' 13 songs have reached number 1 with a longer playing time than "Bohemian Rhapsody" (5:55): "Keeper of the Seven Keys" by James Harrison and Buckethead 13:39 "All Around the World" by Oasis 9:38 "Mirrors" by Justin Timberlake 8:05 "I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)" by Meat Loaf 7:48 "D'You Know What I Mean?" by Oasis 7:21 "Hey Jude" by The Beatles 7:11 "We Are the World" by USA for Africa 7:05 "Jesus to a Child" by George Michael 6:51 "Belfast Child" by Simple Minds 6:39 "Innuendo" by Queen 6:30 "Frozen" by Madonna 6:12 "I'm Not in Love" by 10cc 6:04 "Giger Effect" by James Harrison and Buckethead 5:59 Age records Youngest... *To have a number 1: Jimmy Osmond (9 yrs), "Long Haired Lover From Liverpool" (1972) *To have 10 number ones: James Harrison (18 yrs, 3 days), "Scream" (feat. Katy Perry) (2014) *To have 15 number ones: James Harrison (18 yrs, 1 month, 24 days), "Smooth Criminal" (2014) *To have 20 number ones: James Harrison (18 yrs, 9 months, 24 days), "War" (2014) *To have 30 number ones: James Harrison (19 yrs, 7 months, 27 days), "Writing's on the Wall" (2015) *To have 40 number ones: James Harrison (21 yrs, 3 months, 6 days), "Your Demand" (2017) *To have 50 number ones: James Harrison (22 yrs, 6 months, 25 days), "Perfect" (2018) Oldest... *To have a number 1: Tom Jones (68 yrs), "(Barry) Islands in the Stream", (2009) *To have 10 number ones: Cliff Richard (46 yrs), "Living Doll", (1986) *To have 15 number ones: Elvis Presley (30 yrs), "Crying in the Chapel", (1965) *To have 20 number ones: Elvis Presley (70 yrs), "One Night"/"I Got Stung", (2005) (Elvis died in 1977 but would have been 70 when the song hit number one)